PIP and Attendance Allowance

I have been helping my friend deal with the transition from DLA to PIP. She had the PIP assessment and was turned down. She went for Mandatory Reconsideration and and has just been turned down again.

I see this in the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Handbook, p.22:
“If an existing DLA claimant claims PIP after they have turned 65 and receives a nil award, their claim to PIP will automatically be treated as a claim to Attendance Allowance. They will not have to make a separate claim...”

My friend was 65 last year. Looking at the claim form they use for Attendance Allowance, the categories and questions are similar but not the same as those in PIP2. There has been no mention of Attendance Allowance in the two turn-downs from DWP.

Could you tell me, please, if getting a PIP nil award automatically counts as a nil award of Attendance Allowance too, or whether that can be pursued as a separate claim? And if so, would such a claim cancel going to the PIP Tribunal?

Apologies if it has been covered already but Benefits and Work is such a great resource we have only just started exploring it so far.

Thank you for your reply Gordon.
Just to clarify, my friend has been receiving a reduced State Pension since last year. She was one of the WASPI women who had to wait until then. Gov.uk say: “You reached State Pension age on 6 November 2018. Your State Pension age was 64 years, 11 months, 25 days.” which fits with what you say about State Retirement Age. As they say: “‘Default retirement age’ (a forced retirement age of 65) no longer exists.”

PIP gave her 6 points for Daily Living and 4 for Mobility. I am preparing docs for a First-Tier Tribunal, although she is so depressed by all this at the moment it may never happen. I’m telling her that is exactly what they want, and if we fight she may get something, but I’m not the one suffering.

So I conclude that this invisible AA claim they say accompanies a PIP claim is hot air, so our options are either the Tribunal or forego that and try AA.